Consider Christ of Christmas

Matthew 2:1-12

Christmas can mean different things to different people. For some, it is about vacation, road trips, shopping, gifts, and so on. While those things are fun, sometimes needful, and nothing wrong, there is one thing we Christians cannot ignore – i.e., worship!

According to Matthew 2, worshiping Christ is the central focus and activity. Three times worship is mentioned (vs. 2, 8, 11). The word worship (προσκυνέω) means to bow down or to prostrate – i.e., bowing with your face down to the ground in a flat and surrendering position. Such physical posture sends the message that I am lower than the one I’m worshiping and that I am surrendering my all. That is what worship means.

So, worshiping Jesus the King is the focus of this text. And I want to point out six aspects of true worship as we consider Christ of Christmas.

1. Worshiping Christ requires sacrifice.

These magi traveled a very long distance from the east. It’s about 750 miles of traveling in just one way. That’s like a roundtrip to San Diego from Norcal. Imagine traveling that distance with a group of people without a plane or a car through dusty storms and bandits.

Contrary to these magi who traveled far, the religious people of Judaism who knew of the messianic prophecy did not even bother to check out the fulfillment of the OT when it was just a few miles from Jerusalem. In his book, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers said:

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the sting comes in. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything, it is a delight, but it costs those who do not love Him a good deal.

King David said that he would not offer unto the Lord that doesn’t cost him anything (1 Chron. 21:24).

Where does such sacrifice come from? This leads to our second point.

2. Worshiping Christ requires both belief and believing.

Unlike the chief priests and scribes who knew that Christ would be born according to the OT and failed to go and worship him, the Gentiles from the east believed the OT promises (the belief that Jesus is born) and acted on such belief (sacrificing themselves, they traveled a long distance across the desert to worship Jesus). Hence, worshiping Christ requires both belief and believing. It is both. And it is always in that order: belief and believing. That is to say, you can’t just believe without the belief, and you can’t just have the belief without believing. The two go together.

Let me first explain the importance of belief or truth. Christian worship involves truth. Where God’s truth is absent, there is no true worship. In verse 2, we have two important truths concerning Jesus Christ: 1) “he has been born” and 2) he is the “King of the Jews.” Those two truths are essential truths of Christology (the doctrine of Christ).

Almost every creed or confession throughout the church history points out the birth of Christ, specifically, his virgin birth. For instance, in the Apostles’ Creed:

            I believe in God, the Father almighty,

                       creator of heaven and earth.

            I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

                       who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

                       and born of the virgin Mary.

The point is, how did Jesus come in his first coming? This specific doctrine points out that Jesus experienced human birth. It points out the humanity of Christ. It points out that Jesus had human flesh. He was real, and that Jesus was an actual historical person. So, the doctrine concerning Christ matters. Does theology matter in worship? Does it matter if we have the right Jesus? Absolutely it does! That’s because if you have the wrong Jesus, your worship is false. That’s why truth matters in worship.

Any so-called worship that doesn’t teach God’s truth, express God’s truth, and promote God’s truth is likely filled with false worship with mere opinions and people’s sentiments. Such so-called worship is likely filled with people who say it doesn’t matter how we worship as long as we worship sincerely. According to 1 Timothy 3:15, God’s word tells us how we ought to conduct ourselves in the household of God, which is the “church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The church (as well as individually as a Christian) is built on God’s truth. So, true Christian worship involves truth. Where God’s truth is absent, there is no true worship. In John 4:23-24, Jesus says, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people, the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship spirit and truth.”

In verse 2, the second doctrinal truth about Jesus is that he is called the “King of the Jews.” That speaks of his ethnicity. Moreover, this implies his connection to the OT. That’s because the title “the king of the Jews” is the same as “the king of Israel.” So, who is this man called the King of the Jews?

If you would look at verse 6, this OT quote is from Micah 5:2. And I would like for you to compare Matthew 2:6 with Micah 5:2 right now. Please put on your investigative lens.

Although the two seem identical, there is a vast difference. Do you notice what the chief priests and scribes failed to quote? Can you see what they left out? It is the last sentence in Micah 5:2: “His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

What does this say about who this Jesus is? It tells us that this man is no ordinary man. Why? That’s because what man you know that exited from ages ago, from the days of eternity? There’s no one! Yet Jesus is the man that existed even before he was born. He is the God-Man. He is of eternity. He is the Ancient of Days. He is as the apostle John says the Logos, the Word. In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was at the beginning with God. 

Again, true worship involves God’s truth, specifically, the biblical truth concerning Jesus Christ. You do not have true worship when you do not have the real Jesus. You do not have true worship when you do not have true teachings of Christ. You cannot ignore the truth when worshipping. That’s why biblical truth is central in preaching. That’s why biblical truth is paramount in sermons. That’s why biblical truth is central to what we sing.

Yes, doctrine divides. That’s because the very nature of truth is divisive. Truth separates itself from errors, false, and counterfeits. However, the truth also unites. It unites those who love God’s truth (e.g., the church). The beautiful fact and the picture of the church are that people who are so different in looks and background can unite as one because of the gospel. Hence, what glues the church is one faith, one Lord, one baptism, and one gospel (not because of the same ethnicity, culture, feelings, or sentiment (“jung” in Korean). So, does truth matter when worshipping? Absolutely! So, true worship involves beliefs.

It also involves believing.

^NAU Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

3. Worshiping Christ includes the people of all nations.

Notice who came to worship Jesus. They weren’t the people of Israel. Instead, they were the outsiders, foreigners, Gentiles! That is a picture of the church – the makeup of the people of all nations. And to the people of all nations, the church is commissioned to go to make disciples. In his book Let the Nations be Glad,John Piper says, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t.”

That’s why you cannot separate the gospel from worship or worship from the gospel. They go together. True worship is the expression of the true gospel. You cannot have true worship without the true gospel. That’s why a person who is gospel-minded is mission-minded and also worship-minded.

4. Worshiping Christ involves giving.

Historians tell us that ancient people did not dare to approach a king empty-handed because that was considered an insult. And such insult usually meant punishment or death. So, notice that the magi did not come to Christ empty-handed, but they came to present gifts to him. Verse 11 tells us three gifts were given: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

In ancient times, gold was given to someone who is of high authority, like a king. On the other hand, frankincense was given to a priest because it was used in the temple sacrifice. And lastly, myrrh was used to embalm the body of the dead. Notice that each gift says something about Jesus: the king, the perfect high priest, and the ultimate once-for-all-sacrifice.

Worship is not only about what I get, but also what I give. John Wesley said, “When a man becomes a Christian, he becomes industrious, trustworthy and prosperous. Now, if that man, when he gets all he can and saves all he can, does not give all he can, I have more hope for Judas Iscariot than for that man!”

5. Worshiping Christ involves great joy (v. 10).

Sometimes people come to worship as if it is a chore or duty. What’s missing is joy. But not just any joy, but as the text indicates – a great joy. That is a significant adjective – great joy.

This particular verse in Greek has a double emphasis. It reads: They rejoiced greatly with great joy. What is emphasized doubly are the words joy and great. And the adjective that describes joy in Greek is μέγας, where we get the word mega from, which means large, greatest, very great (e.g., mega-mall, megaphone). The point was when these magi came to worship Christ, their attitude and expressions were evident, namely with great joy, a huge celebration, gigantic gladness, immense happiness, and joyful, joyful cheerfulness.

• ^NAU Psalm 59:16 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.

• ^NAU Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Labor is easy to those of a cheerful spirit; success waits on cheerfulness. The ones who work while rejoicing in God and believing with all their hearts have success guaranteed.” A pastor wrote the following word several years ago:

My challenge each day is not so much working hard but cheerfully working hard. If I understand Scripture accurately, I will not glorify God simply by working hard. To truly bring Him honor, I must labor with a cheerful spirit. Therefore, I must not only serve my family each day, but I must serve them with joy. I must not only prepare a sermon, I must do it cheerfully. I must not only labor faithfully in the church, I must do so happily. Merely working hard is not sufficient. It must be done with gladness. It is for my good and His glory that God has given this sweet command, “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2).[1]

6. Worshiping Christ involves obedience (v. 12)

God is not glorified (let alone worshipped) when I fail to obey his word. We are joined by many people worldwide who are attending worship service on this Lord’s day. However, many people are merely going through religious routines today. They may physically participate in worship (or virtually), but their mind is checked out elsewhere.

As much as God is concerned about your church attendance, he is also concerned about your obedience. I would rather work with ten people obedient to God’s word than a hundred people who care less about obeying Scripture. God says to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22).

^NAU Psalm 81:15 “Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time of punishment would be forever.

Religious pretension is a great sin because you are lying to God as if God can be fooled. Not only such a notion is erroneous but insulting to God, who sees and knows everything. Jesus says in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” J.C. Ryle said:

What is the first thing we need in order to be Christians? A new heart. What is the sacrifice God asks us to bring to Him? A broken and a contrite heart. What is true circumcision? The circumcision of the heart. What is genuine obedience? To obey from the heart. What is saving faith? To believe with the heart. Where ought Christ to dwell? To dwell in our hearts by faith.

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[1] C.J. Mahaney, “New Attitude.” http://blog.togetherforthegospel.org/ (accessed on May 27, 2006).

I Will Buil My Church – Part 4 (Final)

 Matthew 16:18-19

So far from those words of Jesus, we have considered five important truths regarding his relationship to the church:

1. the Promise of Christ (I will build my church)
2. the Performance of Christ (I will build)
3. the Property of Christ (I will build my church)
4. the People of Christ (I will build my church)
5. the Protection of Christ (and the gates of Hades will not overpower it)

This morning I want to add one final implication to the list: the power of Christ.

6. The Power of Christ

Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Here we see the power of Jesus Christ. He is so powerful that he holds the keys of the kingdom of heaven. He is so powerful that he has the authority to both bind someone in heaven or deny someone to heaven. Just as he has the power to build his church and to protect his church, Jesus also has the power to keep someone in heaven or deny someone to heaven. That is power.

However, what Jesus says in verse 19 raises two important questions: 1) to whom is Jesus making the promise to give his authority (and why this matter), and 2) what exactly do binding and loosing mean (and why this matter to you and me)?

A. Who is Jesus making the promise to give his authority and why this matter?

Based on the context, we would think Jesus is making the promise to Peter since that is who Jesus is talking to. However, what is so interesting about verse 19 is that the word “you” in Greek is plural, not singular. Hence, the second person plural (you all) includes more than just Peter.

So, who is Jesus making the promise to give his authority?

Please turn your Bible to Matthew 28:16-20. According to both Matthew 16 and Matthew 28, Jesus made the promise to give his authority to his disciples, who later became the apostles in the early church. And this apostolic authority from Christ continues today by passing down such authority to pastors, according to Ephesians 4:11. According to 1 Timothy 3, it is the overseers (episcope), which is synonymous to pastors, that have the authority to oversee and manage the church of God (vv. 2-5).

And how do you know if the pastors are faithful to the apostolic call and authority of Jesus? (cf. 1 Timothy 4:6, 11, 12, 13, 16; 6:3-5, 20).

Because the Bible warns us that our days on earth will only get worse (2 Timothy 3:1-5), the faithful pastors will preach the word that brings both healing and warning (2 Tim. 3:8-9). That’s because the word of God is a double-edged sword, namely it comforts and convicts the same time (2 Tim. 3:16).

So, Christ gave his power and authority to his disciples to apostles and has passed down the ages through his pastors. So, how do we know if the pastors are faithful to the apostolic call and authority of Jesus? (2 Tim. 4:1-5).

What does this mean for you that are not pastors? Hebrews 13:17.

Matthew Henry said:

Christians must submit to be instructed by their ministers, and not think themselves too wise, too good, or too great, to learn from them; and, when they find that ministerial instructions are agreeable to the written word, they must obey them.[1]

B. What exactly do binding and loosing mean (and why this matter)?

This simply refers to the church’s ministry of discipline.[2]

As you recall from last week’s message that one of the three marks of a true church is a church that practices church discipline[3] – like the one that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 18 or one that Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5. Sometimes churches are guilty of being too quick in judging and too harsh in punishing members for things that are not necessarily a sin. But more often than not, many churches are guilty of permitting almost anything and everything, and rarely confront or discipline members who are sinning or erring from the truth.

So, the authority that Jesus gave to his disciples to apostles to pastors and the church today is that just as the pastors and the church have the power to receive someone into their assembly (via membership), the pastors and the church also have the power to remove someone from their assembly (via discipline). This is why church must practice membership so that she can practice discipline. And I would love to see all professing churches practice both formal membership and discipline, because that is a mark of the true church that God will be honored.

Because the Bible is central to the life of the church, the church has the authority to declare what is divinely forbidden and permitted. And nothing is more clearly demonstrated on this subject than practicing church membership and church discipline. That’s because membership requires the affirmation of orthodox Christian faith, so the church has the authority to receive or reject individuals to the membership. This is also true of disciplining a member who made the covenant with the church that he/she would commit to live by, and if anyone deviates from the covenant, then the church has the authority to declare what is divinely forbidden and permitted if one repents.

May God have mercy on us and on this church.

To watch this sermon, you can click here.

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[1]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Commentary (public domain) on Hebrews 13:17.

[2]R.C. Sproul, Matthew (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), 495.

[3]The Belgic Confession, Article 29.

I Will Build My Church – Pt 3

Matthew 16:18

From those words of Christ, we are learning that the church has a special connection and relationship with Jesus. And we have considered four important truths from his words:

1. the Promise of Christ (I will build my church)
2. the Performance of Christ (I will build)
3. the Property of Christ (I will build my church)
4. the People of Christ (I will build my church)

This morning I want to add one more to the list: the protection of Christ.

However, before I do that, I want to reiterate something. The church that Jesus is referring to is his invisible and universal church[1], not necessarily a local church. According to the WCF, the church is the catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect (25.1). Hence, the promise that Jesus will build his church is not a guarantee to every visible congregation since not all churches are part of the true church of Jesus Christ. According to our confession, churches are “subject both to mixture and error: and some have so degenerated as to become apparently no churches of Christ” (25:5).

So, what are the marks of the true church? Let me suggest you read Article 29 from the Belgic Confession, titled “The Marks of the True Church.” It offers a very clear and helpful summary. It says:

We believe that we ought to discern diligently and very carefully, by the Word of God, what is the true church – for all sects in the world today claim for themselves the name of “the church.”

We are not speaking here of the company of hypocrites who are mixed among the good in the church and who nonetheless are not part of it, even though they are physically there. But we are speaking of distinguishing the body and fellowship of the true church from all sects that call themselves “the church.”

The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks:

The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults.

In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head. By these marks, one can be assured of recognizing the true church – and no one ought to be separated from it.[2]

So, there are three distinguishing marks of the true church: 1) preaches the gospel, 2) administers sacraments, and 3) practices church discipline. Keep in mind that all three marks need to be seen regularly, not one out of three or two out of three but all three.

Again, the church that Jesus is referring to is his true, invisible, and universal church, not necessarily all visible local churches. So, the promise that Jesus will build his church is not a guarantee to every visible congregation since not all churches are part of the true church of Jesus Christ. That may not be something we like to hear, but it is the truth. Upon hearing that, that should prompt all of us to pray for God’s mercy upon this congregation that we are found in his eyes to be part of his true church.

Let us now get back to the text and begin with the Protection of Christ.

5. The Protection of Christ

“and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (v. 18).

Here Jesus is talking about how his true church will not be destroyed by the power of her enemies. The promise of Christ’s protection may not seem believable because of what we see and hear around the world toward Christians and churches (e.g., systematic killings of Christians and persecutions toward the church). According to a recent report from the BBC, the persecution of Christians in parts of the world is near genocide level.[3] According to another report:

350 Nigerian Christians were massacred in the first two months of 2020. Over 11,500 Christians have been murdered since June 2015. Four to five million Christians are displaced. 2000 churches were destroyed.[4]

How about here in America?

According to a recent report, about 4,000 churches get planted annually in America.[5]

However, about 6,000 churches close their doors every year in America.[6] That translates to about 115 churches close every week!

So, when we hear the news like that, it’s hard to believe those words of Christ regarding his protection over the church. Again, keep in mind that Jesus is referring to his church that is universal and invisible, not necessarily local and visible churches. Although some or even many local churches can be destroyed, here Jesus is talking about his universal church that is indestructible, imperishable, unconquerable, and indomitable.

Do you know why his invisible and universal church will not be destroyed? The answer is not because of the church, but in spite of the church, Christ promised to protect his invisible church. So, why would his church not be destroyed? The answer is because he loves his church!

^NAU Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Enemies and the Threats of the Church

In many leading countries of the world, one of their top priorities is national securities for their own nation. This is also true of the United States, especially in light of 9/11; we will never forget the importance of national security.

Just as there are enemies and threats against the security of a country, this is also true of the church. As a church, we have to be concerned about ecclesiastical security. Although Jesus promises his protection, that does not negate the fact that the church will receive attacks. The question is: do you know the enemies and threats against the church are? The answer is no different than to the question about if you know what the enemies and threats are to your own soul. Do you know what the enemies and threats are against your soul and the church?

Both biblically and theologically, the enemies and the threats to our soul and the church are sin, Satan, and self. Just like the enemies of your soul, the church’s greatest threats are sin, Satan, and self. Often, it is our selfishness, our sin, and Satan will help cause us to go astray from glorifying and honoring God. In some parts of the world, it is severe satanic attacks against the church through persecutions. For us in North America, it is the overconsumption of worldliness and self-absorption. 

So, what must we do?

Listen to the imperatives in Ephesians 6:10-18.

CONCLUSION

No matter what form of attacks against the church, the true church of Jesus Christ will not be conquered or be destroyed. You talk about protection; there is no other protection like that of Christ. 

Martin Luther said:

We tell our Lord God plainly, that if He will have His Church, He must maintain and defend it; for we can neither uphold nor protect it. If we could, indeed, we should become the proudest asses under the heaven. But God says: I say it, I do it. Only God speaks and does what He pleases.[7]

To watch this sermon, click here.

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[1]William Hendriksen, Matthew (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2002), 648.

[2]The Belgic Confession, Article 29.

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48146305 (accessed on September 12, 2020).

[4] https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/2020/04/13/Nigeria-Is-A-Killing-Field-Of-Defenseless-Christians (accessed on September 12, 2020).

[5] https://www.greatopportunity.org/starting-more-churches (accessed on September 6, 2020).

[6] http://sowhatfaith.com/2019/09/04/are-10000-churches-closing-every-year/ (accessed on September 6, 2020).

[7]Martin Luther, Table Talk (Gainsville, Fl.: Bridge-Logos, 2004), 239.

I Will Build My Church – Part 2

Matthew 16:18

We have been learning and being reminded of this text that the church has a special connection and relationship to Jesus. And we saw two such examples from this saying of Jesus, namely 1) the promise of Christ and 2) the performance of Christ. The promise of Christ is “I will build my church,” and the performance of Christ is “I will build.”

This morning I want to point out two more examples of this unique relationship that the Church has to Christ: the property of Christ and the people of Christ.

3. The Property of Christ

The emphasis is on “my.” “I will build my church.”

In whose possession or whose property does the church belong? The point is about ownership. The big question is: who owns the church? To whom does the church belong? This is also true of this particular congregation. Who owns Silicon Valley Pres?

According to Jesus, the church belongs to him. And he is the only one who can use such possessive language: “I will build my church.” Hence, ownership belongs to Christ alone!

Notice what Jesus did not say:

• The church belongs to her denomination and her federation. Hence, as much as I have high regard for both KAPC and NAPRC, neither the denomination nor the federation can say, “My church,” except Christ alone.

• The church belongs to the State of California or the United States of America. According to Romans 13, both civil and church governments have been instituted by God. Hence, God’s people need to submit to both institutions. However, the two are not the same. Clearly, there is a separation of church and state. And neither of them has authority over the other. Hence, the civil government cannot say to the church, “You belong to us.” Again, the church belongs to Christ alone.

• The church belongs to the people. The notion that the church does not belong to people may shock some of you because you may think of the church as some kind of democratic system, where you think you are entitled to your opinions and rights. What many fail to realize is that the church is not a democracy but theocracy; people do not rule the church but Christ alone! We confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord – “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). We submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, not the lordship of the majority opinions or democracy.

• The church belongs to a corporation of investors or stakeholders. Just because you and I contribute financially to a local church does not mean that we own a share or portion of the church. It’s incredible how some people think like this, but they do. That is why, in many churches, people who make big financial contributions think they should have the biggest voices. Some also have the attitude that because pastors get paid by the church, somehow, people can tell pastors what to do as if pastors are mere hirelings. Some churches have the mentality that just as they “hired” the pastor, they can also “fire” their pastor. It’s truly heartbreaking to see or hear about pastors who walk into a church gets chewed-up and gets spit-out by many churches in a relatively short period of time because people in the church have such attitude toward their pastor. Unfortunately, this is becoming all too common.

To use the personal pronoun “my church” not only refers to ownership but also headship.

• ^NAU Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

• ^NAU Colossians 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything (preeminence in KJV, supremacy in NIV).

So, how can you tell whether a church submits to the headship of Jesus Christ? The answer is obedience. That is, does the majority of the people in the church generally obey God’s word? Or does the church use God’s word to justify their ungodly behavior or sin? 

4. The People of Christ

“I will build my church.”

Here, we’re talking about what the church is. What is the church? The church refers to the people that belong to Christ. It is the people that Jesus loved and sacrificially gave himself up for (cf. Eph. 5:25). And the act of sacrificial giving that Ephesians is talking about is not equivalent to say a parent’s love for their child nor a kind of love for your loved ones. Instead, it refers to exclusively for Christ’s redemptive love, where he shed his blood for. Hence, the church is the people that Christ died for. The church is the group of people that have been redeemed with Christ’s death and resurrection throughout the redemptive history. So, the church that Jesus is referring to is not a reference to only a local congregation like ours but the church universal – the church throughout the redemptive history (not just limited to a certain time, location, and people). That is why in theology or in our confession, the church is referred to as “the catholic or universal” (e.g., “I believe a holy catholic church” in the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed). So, all that to say, the church is the people that Jesus redeemed. What is the church? The church is the people that Jesus redeemed.

Now, this leads to a crucial question. If the church is the people that Jesus redeemed, then did Jesus save all mankind? In other words, whom did Jesus redeem?

Before looking at the Bible for the answer, our confession of faith offers a helpful and concise biblical summary. For instance, in the Westminster Confession of Faith:

The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof (25.1).

According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, the church is made of God’s elect. And this answers the question: whom did Jesus redeem? Jesus redeemed the people that the Father has chosen or elected. Our confession rejects the notion that every mankind will be saved (universalism). Instead, the gospel is an act of God’s sovereign choice.

Let’s now look at the Bible for the teaching that Jesus redeemed the people that the Father has chosen or elected. In other words, salvation is the result of God’s choice, not ours (cf. Ephesians 1). There is not a single mention of us contributing to salvation. Instead, it is the works of all the members of the triune Godhead (Father in vv. 3-6; Son in vv. 7-12; and Holy Spirit in vv. 13-14).

So, what is the church according to Ephesians 1: it is the people that the Father has chosen, the Son redeemed, and the Holy Spirit sealed.

Why is this important?

In his book Christless Christianity, Michael Horton writes:

Unlike voluntary associations (book clubs, political parties, of fans of the opera or garage bands), the church is not made up of people I chose to be my friends. [Instead] God chose them for me and me for them. They are my family because of God’s election, not mine.[1]

Since God is sovereign, he picks who will be my spiritual family. Hence, if I cannot love, serve, and submit the people that God chose for me in the church, then, in essence, I am questioning God’s sovereign choice. And when that happens, you miss out on God’s blessings, and ultimately, you’ll be living in sin, and you are not honoring God.

So, what are we?

^NAU 1 Peter 2:9 ¶ But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

To watch this sermon, click here.

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[1]Michael Horton, Christless Christianity (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008), 226.

I Will Build My Church – Part 1

Matthew 16:18

Whenever you come across the word church in the Bible, almost always, she is connected to Christ. The two have an inseparable connection and relationship. That means you cannot have Christ without the church, nor can you have the church without Christ. You won’t find any church in the Bible that stands all by herself, except the ones that Jesus condemned in the Book of Revelation.

In the Bible, you will find the Church mentioned one way or the other in a special connection or relationship to Jesus. And we have considered one such example last Lord’s Day, namely that the Church is the pillar and supporter of God’s word, where the Church is built on the great confessions that Peter made of Christ. That is the meaning of Matthew 16:13-19.

However, the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) teaches that Peter was the rock which the church is built on. However, that’s not what the text says. Peter in Greek is petros, which refers to a small stone, whereas the rock is petra, which refers to a massive bed stone of rock or cornerstone. Jesus did not say, upon petros or Peter, I will build my church, but upon petra.[1]

So, what is the petra or the cornerstone that Jesus is referring to? Interpreting verse 18 in its context, the rock or petra refers to the great confession that Peter made about Jesus, namely, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (v. 16). Hence, the Church of Jesus Christ is built on the great confession that God revealed to Peter about Jesus. And from that interpretation, you’ve heard three implications: 1) Jesus builds his church on God’s truth, 2) a true church of Jesus is known by great confessions, and 3) the church is a pillar and the support of God’s truth.

So, as you can see, the Church has a special connection and relationship with Jesus. And we saw one such example of that last week from this text. But there are more examples of this unique relationship between Christ and the Church that is displayed in this text that we must see and understand.

With that in mind, I would like for you to see two examples of this unique relationship between Christ and the Church: the promise of Christ and the performance of Christ.

1. The Promise of Christ

“I will build my church” (v. 18a).

When you read your Bible, you want to pay special attention to where God says, “I will.” That’s a promise that you can bank on. Likewise, when Jesus says, “I will,” that too is something to bank on.

Those are the words of certainty and confidence. Those are the words of the covenant. It is a covenantal language.

Allow me to put this in an encouraging perspective: No matter how dark and dreadful this world may become, Jesus says he will build his church! No matter how many pathetic, shameful, and godless so-called churches are in this world, Jesus says he will build his church! Although there are many false churches that masquerade themselves as a church, only the real and true churches belong to Christ.

Thus, no matter how helpless and hopeless our circumstances may appear from a human perspective, a true church of Jesus Christ does not need to fear or worry, because Jesus promised that he would build his church! Pastor John MacArthur says:

No leader in Christ’s church should have the desire to build it himself. Christ declared that He alone builds the church, and no matter how well-intentioned he may be, anyone else who attempts to build it is competing with, not serving, the Lord.[2]

Please take a look at what Jesus did not say. He did not say:

• My disciples and I will build my church – as if Christ alone is insufficient.
• Pastors will build my church.
• A good marketing strategy will build my church.
• Having a cool praise band will build my church.
• A latest church-growth program or gimmicks will build my church.

I am so glad that the burden and the responsibility to build Christ’s church is not given to me, but to Christ alone! If such responsibility was up to me, I would probably lose sleep every night and would have become a schizophrenic by now. Please understand this biblical truth: human efforts can only produce human results, but only God can produce divine results. Having said that, Pastor MacArthur also says:

It is not faithful believers who build Christ’s church, but Christ who builds His church through faithful believers. Wherever His people are committed to His kingdom and His righteousness the Lord builds His church. If believers in one place become cold and disobedient, Christ does not stop building but simply starts the work somewhere else. His true church is always “under construction.”[3]

2. The Performance of Christ

“I will build my church.”

The emphasis is on building. The word refers to growth and maturity. I want to show you how this particular word is used in the NT. And then to see how Jesus builds his church.

• Acts 9:31 ¶ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

• Acts 20:32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

• 1 Cor 14:4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

• Eph. 4:11-16 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

• 1 Pet 1:23-2:3

The Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Christ builds his church with his word. And from the clarity of Scripture, we have the clarity of what our confessions teach us. For instance, in the Larger Catechism:

Q. 3. What is the Word of God?

A. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, the only rule of faith and obedience.

Q. 4. How doth it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God?

A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty and purity, by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation.

So, if the Scripture and our confession make it abundantly clear that Christ builds his church with his word, then how are you committed in learning God’s word? Where are you on Friday Nights when we are studying God’s word? How come you don’t demonstrate your commitment to learn God’s word? Also, how are you encouraging and helping others to commit in learning God’s word?

Listen to what the Belgic Confession said regarding the obligations of church members:

We believe that since this holy assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved and there is no salvation apart from it, people ought not to withdraw from it, content to be by themselves, regardless of their status or condition.

But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and by serving to build up one another, according to the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same body (Article 28: The Obligations of Church Members).

According to the Belgic Confession, it implies that you ought not to withdraw or miss, but join and unite, keeping the unity of the church by submitting yourself to the church’s instructional time, such as Friday Night Bible Study. If you care about honoring the Lord, that is how you honor the Lord as a church member.

So, am I contributing to the unity of the church with my presence and participation or disunity by absence and poor attitudes?

To watch this sermon, you can click here.

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[1]Leon Morris offers perhaps the best arguments against the Roman Catholic Church’s view in his commentary The Gospel According to Matthew, PNTC, edited by D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), 422-423.

[2]John F. MacArthur, Matthew 16-23 (Chicago: Moody, 1988), 30.

[3]Ibid., 30-31.

The Church’s One Foundation

Matthew 16:13-19

The word “church” in Matthew 16:18 is used the very first time in the entire Bible. And the one who introduced this word is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s because the church is what God created and what Jesus promised to build. There is an inseparable connection between Christ and the church. That means you cannot have Christ without the church, nor can you have the church without Christ. The two go together, yet the two are not equal. The one is a Creator and Redeemer, while the other is the subject that the Redeemer redeemed/purchased. And that is what church is. She is the subject to her Redeemer because the Redeemer purchased her with his own life (Eph. 5:25). According to Westminster Confession of Faith, the church is made up of God’s elect, the ones who profess the true religion, together with their children and people who are under the headship of Jesus Christ (25.1-2).

This morning I want us to examine the foundation that Jesus promised to build His church. With that in mind, let me draw your attention to verse 18 once again. It says: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Before I explain what this verse means, let me tell you what this verse does not mean.

What this verse does not mean

The Roman Catholic Church has taught more than 1,500 years that the church was built on Peter. According to their doctrine, Peter became the first pope, the bishop of Rome, and from whom the Roman Catholic papacy has since passed down. Because of this supposed divinely ordained apostolic succession, the pope is considered to be the supreme authority and the head of the church. That means when the pope speaks in his official authority as the head of the church, he is said to speak with divine authority equal to that of God in Scripture. It is part of the Roman Catholic belief that the pope is infallible.

You might ask, where did they get such a view. They see verse 18 to say, “Peter (Petros), upon Peter (Petros), I will build my church.” The Roman Catholics believe that Peter was the rock in which the church is built.

However, that’s not what the text says. Peter, in Greek, is Petros, which refers to a small stone, whereas the rock in Greek is petra, which refers to a massive bed stone of foundation or cornerstone. So, Jesus did not say, upon Petros or Peter that he will build his church, but upon petra, the massive cornerstone.[1]

So, what is this petra or the massive cornerstone that Jesus is referring?

What this verse does mean

In the past several Friday Night Bible Studies, I’ve been teaching that one of the rules of Bible reading and Bible interpretation is to read and interpret the text in its context. And certainly, we can apply the same rule of Bible interpretation here. When we do that, the petra, the massive rock, refers to the great confession that Peter made about Jesus, namely that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (v. 16).

Hence, what Jesus is saying is that he will build his church on the confession that God revealed to Peter about him, namely that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God! And today, every true church (as opposed to false) is built on that same confession, namely that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

So, as a result of understanding what verse 18 means in its context, what does this interpretation imply? Let me offer three implications for you to consider.

Implications

1. Jesus builds his church on God’s truth.

To say it negatively, Jesus does not build his church on the ideas or opinions of men.

Part of the reason why I started the sermon series on Genesis is for you to know the real God of the Bible, as opposed to many ideas and opinions of men. That’s because Christianity is based on God’s revelation of himself, and the gospel begins with God. My entire ministry goal as a pastor is to preach and to teach the true and glorious vision of God as revealed in his word.

It is dangerous to have a view of God that is based on the ideas, opinions, and views of man. It is dangerous to have a view of God that is based on your own that is apart from God’s truth. That is what the Bible calls idolatry. And many people are guilty of creating God according to their own imaginations. John Calvin says our hearts are factories of idols, including creating a God according to our sinful imaginations.

Just as so many people have their own ideas or versions of who God is, there are many who have their own ideas, opinions, and views about the church.

And I am not surprised by this. If people are capable of creating a god according to their own imaginations, why would I be surprised that the same people are capable of defining what a church is and what a church should do according to their own imaginations? When I ask those people to show me where they get such views from God’s word, they cannot because those views are not in the Bible. Hence, whenever you speak of the church, make sure your view is based on the Bible.

Jesus does not build his church on the ideas or opinions of men. Jesus does not build his church on the views that are contrary to God’s revelation (v. 17). Instead, Jesus builds his church on God’s truth.

2. A true church of Jesus is known by great confessions.

What I mean by confessions, I mean doctrines. And when I say a true church, I mean that as opposed to false churches. A true church of Jesus Christ is known by her doctrines. This is why doctrines matter. This is why theology is important to the life of the church.

What Peter says in Matthew 16:16 is a confessional statement, a doctrinal statement, a theological statement. Hence, a true church is built on whether her doctrines or theology is true and sound.

The verb “confess” (homologeo) in the New Testament means saying the same words, as in reciting a statement (cf. Rom. 10:9-10).

Rom. 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Here, Paul is making a confessional statement.

Here’s another example:

1 Cor. 8:4-6 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

From those biblical references, the early church has made simple doctrinal statements (a few paragraphs), such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, which we still use after all these years. Unlike the Creeds, Confessions, on the other hand, like the Westminster Confession of Faith or the Belgic Confession, are more than a few paragraphs but larger summaries of Christian faith. And we need summaries because people generally don’t or haven’t read the entire Bible. And even if they read the Bible, that doesn’t mean people know what the Bible teaches. Hence, we need summaries of what the Bible teaches. That is why historically, churches and denominations have subscribed to confessions. For us as part of the KAPC, which is also part of the larger federation in NAPRC, we subscribe to many good and helpful confessions.

3. The church is a pillar and the support of God’s truth (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15).

The church is not a collection of people who has some sentimental feelings about Jesus. The church is not a group of people who gather to hear a motivational speech or moral talk. The church is not a social gathering.

According to 1 Timothy 3:15, the church of the living God is the pillar and support of the truth. So, if you take doctrines and theological truths out, then it is not a church. Sadly, some so-called churches actually boast that in their churches, doctrines, and theology do not matter. However, it is an oxymoron to describe yourself or a church as “atheological” or “non-confessional” because such a statement itself is a creed and confession.

If I’m looking for a church to join and commit, the church’s doctrinal statement and theological distinctions are on my top list. Why? It is because the church depends on doctrinal solidarity. That’s because sound doctrine is essential for how we worship, fellowship, evangelism, and discipleship.

To watch this sermon, click here.

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[1]Leon Morris offers perhaps the best arguments against the Roman Catholic Church’s view in his commentary The Gospel According to Matthew, PNTC, edited by D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), 422-423.